The design of brutalist furniture encompasses that which is crafted, hewn and worked by hand — an aesthetic rebuke (or, at least, a counterpoint) to furniture that is created using 21st-century materials and technology. Lately, the word “brutalist” has been adopted by the realms of furniture design and the decorative arts to refer to chairs, cabinets, tables and accessory pieces such as mirror frames and lighting that are made of rougher, deeply textured metals and other materials that are the visual and palpable antithesis of the sleek, smooth and suave.
ORIGINS OF BRUTALIST FURNITURE DESIGN
CHARACTERISTICS OF BRUTALIST FURNITURE DESIGN
BRUTALIST FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
VINTAGE BRUTALIST FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
The term brutalism — which derives from the French word brut, meaning “raw” — was coined by architecture critic Reyner Banham to describe an architectural style that emerged in the 1950s featuring monumental buildings, usually made of unornamented concrete, whose design was meant to project an air of strength and solidity.
Le Corbusier essentially created the brutalist style; its best-known iterations in the United States are the Whitney Museum of American Art, which was designed by Marcel Breuer, and Paul Rudolph's Yale Art and Architecture Building. The severe style might have been the most criticized architectural movement of the 20th century, even if it was an honest attempt to celebrate the beauty of raw material. But while the brutalist government buildings in Washington, D.C., seemingly bask in their un-beauty, brutalist interior design and decor is much more lyrical, at times taking on a whimsical, romantic quality that its exterior counterparts lack.
Paul Evans is Exhibit A for brutalist furniture design. His Sculpture Front cabinets laced with high-relief patinated steel mounts have become collector's items nonpareil, while the chairs, coffee table and dining table in his later Cityscape series and Sculpted Bronze series for Directional Furniture are perhaps the most expressive, attention-grabbing pieces in American modern design. Other exemplary brutalist designers are Silas Seandel, the idiosyncratic New York furniture designer and sculptor whose works in metal — in particular his tables — have a kind of brawny lyricism, and Curtis Jere, a nom-de-trade for the California team of Curtis Freiler and Jerry Fels, the bold makers of expressive scorched and sheared copper and brass mirror frames and wall-mounted sculptures.
Brutalist furniture and sculptures remain popular with interior designers and can lend unique, eccentric, human notes to an art and design collection in any home.
Find authentic vintage brutalist chairs, coffee tables, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Paul Kingma Slate, Stone, and Brass Inlaid Coffee Table, 1974
By Paul Kingma
Located in Antwerp, Antwerp
A rectangular coffee table by Dutch artist Paul Kingma, signed and dated 1974. The surface features an inlaid composition of slate, stone, and brass, arranged in a balanced, geometri...
Stone, Slate, Brass
rare forged oval table 1980s Lothar Klute attrib.
By Lothar Klute
Located in Saarbrücken, SL
- stunning big brutalist table - forged iron and cast glass - 130 x 83 x 53 cm
Iron
Contemporary 'PATHOS' Dining Table by Eichkorn, Burnt Ash Wood, Customizable
By Eichkorn
Located in Paris, IDF
PATHOS Dining Table by German contemporary design studio Eichkorn. Material: Burnt Ash Wood Standard size: H.75 x 280 x 180 cm - Customizations are possible Made from burnt ash woo...
Ash
Paul Kingma attributed coffee table, 1980s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Brutalist slate and natural stone top coffee table with inlaid copper and brass. Black wooden base. The table is signed but we cant see by who. Good condition. Very much in the s...
Stone
1930s Italian Art Deco Brutalist Rational Bookmatched Burl Walnut Table, Pagano
By Gio Ponti, Paolo Buffa, Osvaldo Borsani, Gino Maggioni, Giuseppe Pagano Pogatschnig
Located in Grand Cayman, KY
A refined Italian Art Deco occasional table, side table or end table. Circa 1930s, it is veneered in richly figured book matched burl walnut. The piece reflects the transition betw...
Hardwood, Walnut, Burl
Sculpted Massive Dining Table V7 in Solid Oakwood 'Custom Size' Dark
By Sóha, Denis Milovanov
Located in Paris, IDF
Massive dining table made of solid oak (+ linseed oil) (Outdoor use OK) Warm furniture’s made by Russian designer Denis Milovanov for 'Soha Concept' design studio. Simplicity of shapes. Authentic material. Wooden items are created from oak and are boiled in oil from several days to several weeks, to achieve a natural wood coloration from a dark brown to a complete black color. Patterns are applied solely by chain saw...
Oak
$1,960Sale Price / set|20% Off
1960s Brutalist Oak Chairs Chalet-Style (After Puydt) Hand-Carved, Hand Made
Located in Round Top, TX
A set of (4) heavy oak Brutalist “chalet” dining chairs. We love a set like this in smaller apartments or townhomes where they can become chameleon-like and be brought into different...
Oak
Danish Brutalist Oak Side / Bedside Table with Ceramic Tiles, 1960s
Located in Nørre Aaby, DK
Striking Danish brutalist side or bedside table from the 1960s, crafted in oak and featuring a tiled tabletop. The signature on the tiles is unfortunately illegible. A practical and ...
Ceramic, Oak
Brutalist Solid Oak Slab Coffee Table, Central Europe, 1960s–1970s
Located in Wrocław, Poland
A sculptural Brutalist coffee table, crafted from solid oak in Central Europe, circa 1960s–1970s. The exceptionally thick tabletop is cut at an angle to the grain, revealing a dramat...
Oak
Pair of Brutalist Blue Stone Top Chain Consoles, C. 1970
Located in Philadelphia, PA
These striking 1970’s blue stone top consoles feature a bold chain link base that commands a notable architectural presence. This unique pair features substantial cut blue stone sla...
Stone, Iron
Stag T Side Table by Rick Owen, Circa 2000, France
By Rick Owens
Located in Girona, Spain
DESCRIPTION: Stag T Side Table by Rick Owen, Circa 2000, France. This object is the Stag T Stool (also referred to as a side table), designed by the avant-garde fashion designer and...
Antler, Wood
$4,725Sale Price|25% Off
Mid Century Modern Brutalist Gilt Metal Cocktail or Coffee Table
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Incredible Brutalist Brass Based Cocktail or Coffee Table, Midcentury Modern. It has an unusual form with an abstract insect and flower base with a faux bamboo frame. The reverse bev...
Metal
Danish Modern Round Coffee Table in Solid Pine, Rainer Daumiller Style, 1970s
By Hirtshals Savvaerk, Rainer Daumiller
Located in Odense, DK
A fine Danish Modern round coffee table in solid pine, made in the style of Rainer Daumiller in the 1970s by a Danish Cabinetmaker. This sculptural coffee / side table will complem...
Pine
Danish Modern Writing Desk in Oak, in style of Henning Kjærnulf, Denmark, 1960s
Located in Rødding, DK
A commanding solid oak freestanding writing desk in the Danish Country Modern tradition, with deeply hand-carved drawer fronts, brass ring pulls, and a richly figured cathedral grain...
Brass
Danish Brutalist Oak Extendable Dining Table attr. to Henning Kjærnulf, 1960s.
Located in Asaa, DK
Danish Brutalist Oak Extendable Dining Table attr. to Henning Kjærnulf, 1960s. Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern dining room table in light Nordic oak. Attributed to Danish designer H...
Oak
Oak Dining Table, Square top, Solid Dark Brown European Oak - Aperta by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Inspired by light breaking through narrow voids in architectural structures, Aperta features a precise slit, creating a sense of lightness to its solid form. The Aperta Square Tabl...
Oak, Walnut
Sculptural Side Table, Stool, Burnt Wood, Oak, Black, Carved, Rustic, Logniture
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
Chainsaw carved side table. Carved from a single piece of burnt wood and protected with the highest quality oils, ensuring durability for generations. Such unique handmade design wil...
Wood, Oak
French Brutalist Round Side Table in Wrought Iron and Slate, 1970s
Located in The Hague, NL
This striking round side table was produced in France in the 1970s. Executed in a Brutalist style, this piece combines raw materials with artisanal craftsmanship creating a distincti...
Slate, Wrought Iron
Mid-century Brutalist "live edge" large coffee table
Located in Linkebeek, BE
Wabi Sabi - brutalist - Bench / table Measures : 192x90cm H:48cm This coffee table is a Brutalist-style piece from the 1950s. It features a free-form solid wood top with unfinished ...
Wood
Round Top Fundamenta Table 61 Abstract Oak, Sleek Design by NONO
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Round Top Fundamenta Table 61 Abstract Oak, Sleek Design by NONO Sculptural coffee table made of solid wood with a natural water-based or black tinted finish. Due to the nature of ...
Hardwood
set of 2 early triangle coffee tables by Lothar Klute - 1980s
By Lothar Klute
Located in Saarbrücken, SL
Early side tables by Lothar Klute Lothar Klute – Exceptional Pair of Nesting / Side Tables, 1982 This exceptional pair of tables was designed and produced by Lothar Klute in 1982, ...
Wrought Iron
forged bronze table with cut lead crystal glass - by Lothar Klute
By Lothar Klute
Located in Saarbrücken, SL
This exceptional table is made by Lothar Klute in 1993. It is an original and signed art work in perfect condition. - original Lothar Klute t...
Bronze
“Vestiges Side Table” Marble Stone Brutalist Minimalist Coffee Table
Located in Terrassa, Catalonia
The Vestiges Side Table is a sculptural piece carved entirely from exclusive marble sourced in southern Spain. Defined by its monolithic form and hand-f...
Marble
“Dumbell” Sculptural Coffee Table / Sculpture / Object
By Jan Paul
Located in Maastricht, NL
“DUMBELL42” sculptural coffee table / sculpture / object / Two metal spheres seemingly flow like mercury into each other Molded from a self developed metal-based material: “Industri...
Metal, Aluminum, Brass, Copper, Steel
Certosa Modular Dining Table in UHPC white cement by Giuliano Andrea Dell'Uva
Located in Rome, Lazio
Certosa is a UHPC concrete table designed by Giuliano Andrea dell’Uva for Forma&Cemento. It is born from the encounter between the material rigor of concrete and the timeless cha...
Concrete
French Brutalist Style Glass-Top Wrought Iron Coffee Table, C. 1960
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A striking French Brutalist-style coffee table crafted in heavy wrought iron, featuring an architectural lattice-form base with hand-forged character and sculptural presence. The int...
Wrought Iron
$1,273 / item
Brutalist Iron and Wood Round Accent Table
Located in Westwood, NJ
The table captures the essence of sculptural rawness and refined materiality, embodying the expressive character of Brutalist design. Forged iron legs display a hand-hammered texture...
Iron
Contemporary Brutalist Concrete and Oak Coffee Table
Located in Alhambra, CA
Elegant brutalist-style concrete and cerused Dublin oak coffee table. Large custom poured concrete table top, framed with wood and resting on three solid oak legs. All wood is Dublin...
Concrete
Brutalist Oak Coffee Table with Tiled Top
Located in London, London
A substantial brutalist coffee table with tiled top, dating to the 1960s–70s, notable for its weight, texture and sculptural construction. The solid timber frame is formed from thic...
Ceramic, Oak
Brutalist Hand-Made Slate Stone Agate Coffee Table by Sculptor Paul Kingma
By Paul Kingma
Located in DE MEERN, NL
One-of-a-Kind Brutalist Sculptural Coffee Table by Paul Kingma, Netherlands, 1992 A Family's Story, Preserved in Stone — An Exceptional Bespoke Creation by Paul Kingma Some furnitu...
Agate, Concrete, Slate, Brass
Large Round Coffee Table, Brutalist, Custom Made, Solid Walnut, Aperta by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Inspired by light breaking through narrow voids in architectural structures, Aperta features a precise slit, creating a sense of lightness to its solid form. The Aperta Coffee Table...
Oak, Walnut
Cast Bronze 1970s Brutalist Side Tables by Peter van Heeck
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Bronze coffee or side table by Peter Van Heeck, Netherlands. Beautiful, brut table frame with a smoked glass top. Patina. 1970s - Netherlands Height: 45cm Width x depth: 70cm Re...
Bronze
Arcade Sculptural Console Table in Walnut Burl with Black Marble Top
By JLC
Located in New York, NY
The Arcade Console Table is defined by a rhythmic triple-arch structure, combining architectural mass with sculptural negative space. Its arched openings create a strong sense of dep...
Marble
French Carved Wood Brutalist Table by Charles Dudouyt
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Incredible wood table by Charles Dudouyt, made in France, 1940's. Large rectangular parquet top with thick intricately carved wood legs on pedestal base. Original finish shows nice a...
Oak
Dudouyt - Dining Table - Natural Oak - 1940 - French - Brutalist
Located in Split, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
Presenting an exquisite extendable table attributed to the renowned French furniture designer, Charles Dudouyt. This versatile table features a unique design with screw legs, allowin...
Oak
De Sede DS 76 Buffalo Leather & Glass Square Coffee Table, 1970s, Switzerland
By Karl Springer, De Sede
Located in Biebergemund, Hessen
Sculptural "monolite" couch table made in 1970s by De Sede, Switzerland. Plywood base upholstered with Buffalo leather with very thick insert smoked glass top. Easy combinable with m...
Leather, Smoked Glass, Plywood
Side Table, Pedestal, Solid Burnt Wood, Rustic, Organic, Handmade, Carved, Black
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
Chainsaw carved side table. Carved from a single piece of burnt oak wood and protected with the highest quality oils, ensuring durability for generations. Such unique handmade design...
Wood, Oak
Paul Evans Studio Floating Console Shelf and Mirror Set, USA, Circa 1970s
By Paul Evans
Located in Miami, FL
Paul Evans studio floating console shelf and mirror set, USA, Circa 1970s Brutalist patchwork design in copper and pewter. A striking example of Paul Evans’ iconic Brutalist aestheti...
Slate, Brass, Copper, Pewter
Brutalist Oak Coffee Table, French Mid 20th Century
Located in Warminster, GB
A brutalist oak coffee table. French, mid 20C. Stock ref. #3219 In good sturdy order with light cosmetic wear. Approx. H: 48 x W: 108 x D: 64 cm H: 18.9 x W: 42.5 x D: 25.2 "
Oak
Coffee table with vintage yellow glass top and modern steel base
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
This brutalist-style coffee table features a modern base in rust-effect patinated steel and a thick vintage yellow glass top that we sourced ourselves. Please note that the glass sho...
Steel
Live Edge Coffee Table, Log Furnitue, Walnut, Epoxy, Logniture
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
This striking coffee table seamlessly blends organic warmth with contemporary artistry, live-edge walnut slab with a vibrant blue epoxy resin river running through the center. The d...
Wood, Oak, Walnut
Coffee Table, Architectural Contemporary Design, Solid Oak, Hari by Mokko
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Inspired by the simplicity of traditional Japanese architectural timber structures. The low coffee table balances three minimalist volumes composed of solid wooden parts. Designed b...
Oak, Walnut
Joel Escalona's NONO Elefante Table 61, Smooth Solid Wood, Sleek Style
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Joel Escalona's NONO Elefante Table 60, Smooth Solid Wood, Sleek Style ————————————————————— Elefante Collection: A Harmony of Design and Heritage by NONO Crafting Elegance with a...
Hardwood
Brutalist Minimalist Glossy Walnut Root Coffee Table with Fluted Pedestal Base
By JLC
Located in New York, NY
High-gloss burl wood coffee table defined by a rounded-square tabletop and a sculptural concave-arched base. The upper volume is softened at each corner, creating a continuous curved...
Wood, Burl
Wooden Brutalist Table, Wabi-Sabi, Handmade, Oak, Black, Rock, Logniture
By Logniture
Located in Stara Gradiška, HR
Unique table with original design by Logniture. Made entirely from wood. Protected with the highest quality oils, ensuring durability for generations. Such unique handmade design wil...
Wood, Oak, Ash
Oak Table with Slate Top and tapered Legs France 1970s
Located in Berlin, DE
Oval oak coffee table with an inset slate top. A thick rounded oak rim surrounds the dark slate surface, and the table stands on three slightly tapered legs with softly rounded feet....
Slate
Sculptural Root Dining Table, Brutalist Style, Late 20th Century
Located in Hønefoss, 30
A sculptural dining table in solid hardwood, featuring a thick, organically shaped top resting on a natural root base. The expressive grain and irregular form give the piece a strong...
Wood
French Brutalist Olive Wood Coffee Table, 1960s
Located in Chicago, IL
A French Brutalist coffee table from the 1960s, shaped less by convention than by the natural character of the material itself. Crafted from olive wood, sourced in the south of Fran...
Wood
Brutalist Oak Coffee Table, 1960s
Located in OOSTERHOUT, NL
A sturdy Brutalist oak coffee table featuring thick legs and a solid, substantial tabletop, exemplifying the Brutalist style and craftmanship. The table shows light signs of use, enh...
Oak
Chic Black Tinted Round Coffee Table - Urban Fundamenta 27 by NONO
By NONO
Located in Ciudad de México, CDMX
Chic Black Tinted Round Coffee Table - Urban Fundamenta 27 by NONO Sculptural coffee table made of solid wood with a natural water-based or black tinted finish. Due to the nature of...
Hardwood
Large Primitive Coffee Table, France 1930's
Located in New York, NY
Large carved table in solid oak with a wrought iron stretcher
Wrought Iron
Rare brutalist Brazilian stone coffee table by Pia Manu, ca. 1960
Located in Meulebeke, BE
Very rare and unique coffee table made by Belgian artist Pia Manu. This exclusive table was designed in the 1960s and handmade. The table has a Brazilian slate stone top, shaped in a...
Slate, Steel
Natural White Marble Stone, Rose top, Black detail handmade Jean Tall Side Table
Located in Lisbon, PT
Jean side tables are unique in their conception. The combination of three different marbles make them a sign of unconformity and originality. The combination in the picture is in Estremoz white marble, Estremoz pink marble and Nero Marquina marble. The marbles can be combined differently. Made to Order. Open since 1997 and based in Lisbon, Portugal, a country with a long crafts tradition, Mambo Unlimited Ideas' design team researches for innovation and creativity developments around the world while embracing the crafts heritage, creating contemporary pieces combining traditional Portuguese materials and handmade techniques producing original, high quality products. Mambo Unlimited Ideas is dedicated to furniture and upholstery. Its collection offers a comprehensive customizable furniture...
Marble
Wrought iron coffee table in the style of Lothar KluteCoffee table in the style
By Lothar Klute
Located in Saarbrücken, SL
Coffee table in artfully forged iron with a brown patina. Glass top specially cast and machined for this table.
Wrought Iron
$1,783Sale Price|20% Off
Brutalist solid Oak Coffee Table by De Puydt Belgium, 1970s
By De Puydt
Located in Berlin, DE
Brutalist solid Oak coffe table by De Puydt. De Puydt was a Belgian furniture manufacturer known for producing high-quality, modern designs during the mid-20th century, particularly ...
Steel
Brutalist slate stone coffee table, 1980s
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Brutalist slate and natural stone top coffee table mounted an an equally beautiful stone base. Good condition. 1980s - Germany Height: 48cm Width x depth: 70cm Ref.: 25090808 *A...
Stone
$9,500Sale Price|32% Off
Rare Pia Manu Brutalist Coffee Table, circa 1969 Belgium, Signed
By Pia Manu
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An incredible Pia Manu brutalist coffee table, circa 1965-1970s, with brutalist cast resin artwork top over a brushed steel frame and base. This stunning piece of functional art is s...
Steel
Scandinavian Brutalist Pine Dining Table, 1960s
Located in Rosendahl, DE
Characterful Scandinavian dining table crafted from solid pine with a beautiful warm patina. The table stands out through its clean, handcrafted construction and distinctive details ...
Pine
1930s Italian Art Deco Brutalist Rational Bookmatched Burl Walnut Table, Pagano
By Osvaldo Borsani, Giuseppe Pagano Pogatschnig, Gino Maggioni, Gio Ponti, Paolo Buffa
Located in Grand Cayman, KY
A refined Italian Art Deco occasional table, side table or end table. Circa 1930s, it is veneered in richly figured book matched burl walnut. The piece reflects the transition betw...
Hardwood, Walnut, Burl
A Brutalist Side Table, France c. 1960s
Located in Hønefoss, 30
A sculptural side table in dark stained wood, the freeform organic top with a naturalistic, undulating edge raised on four splayed, tapering legs with root-like flared feet. A striki...
Oak